Chapter 8: Let’s Weaken the Knight Order!
A few days after the unfortunate incident where the townsfolk thanked me, I was clutching my head in my study.
“Damn it! Why is it that every move I make is always taken as a good deed!?”
It’s as if some mysterious force is preventing me from becoming the final boss.
No matter how hard I try to cause harm, nothing works, and my heart was being driven into a corner.
But then, I had a change of perspective.
“Wait a minute… What if I choose a method where I don’t take center stage?”
When I threw the chef in the dungeon, caught the thief boy, or tried to unleash a monster in town, I was always at the forefront, which led to those disastrous outcomes.
However, when I sent the tea-stained invitation back to Marquis Wyndham, I didn’t hear any rumors of my reputation rising.
This suggests that by involving someone else as an intermediary, I might be able to bypass this forced destiny.
“With that settled, it’s time to decide on the specifics.”
I began thinking about who to involve as my accomplice.
If this plan succeeds, not only will my reputation plummet, but my accomplice’s will too.
If I can drag someone I despise into this, I’ll also get my revenge—a perfect two-birds-one-stone plan.
“Hm? What’s this…?”
My eyes fell on a report from the knight order on my desk.
It detailed the aftermath of the Gigahorn Boar capture.
Come to think of it, the whole reason I ended up being thanked by the townsfolk that day was because I saw the knight order’s report.
In other words, this is all their fault.
The official name of the knight order is the Renford Knight Order, an organization directly under my command. It includes many nobles, unlike the mostly commoner town guards.
Regardless, for my own direct subordinates to cause me such trouble is unforgivable.
“Alright, it’s decided. The knight order will be my accomplice.”
With my accomplice chosen, I moved on to devising the specific plan.
What revolutionary method could I use to exact revenge on the knight order while tanking my reputation?
The knight order’s pride and the townsfolk’s trust in them stem from their strength.
Thus, undermining that strength is key to this plan’s success.
To be more precise, I’d weaken the knight order’s combat ability and then send them on a critical mission.
What happens then? Naturally, the mission fails.
The townsfolk’s trust in the knight order would vanish, and my reputation as the one who issued the order would finally hit rock bottom.
“Fuhahaha! The more I think about it, the more brilliant this plan becomes!”
After a hearty laugh, I headed to the knight order’s garrison.
◇◆◇
Laura Embres, the commander of the Renford Knight Order, was originally the daughter of a minor noble family without even a territory to their name.
Blessed with martial talent, she rose to the position of commander in her early twenties.
Her sole goal was to wield her sword to protect the people, and through daily rigorous training, she maintained a level of combat strength far superior to that of other small territories.
This was Laura’s greatest pride.
So, when Lord Klaus ordered a “one-month mandatory vacation with a complete ban on training and combat,” her eyes widened in shock.
“Why!? Our strength is maintained precisely because of our strict daily training! What is Lord-sama thinking, forbidding it!?”
Laura was furious, but few shared her sentiment.
Most of the knights rejoiced at the sudden long vacation, slipping into lazy routines.
Some even said:
“Come on, it’s Lord-sama’s orders. There’s got to be some reason behind it.”
“Exactly. If it weren’t for Lord-sama’s quick thinking with the Aegis Bird, the town might’ve been destroyed.”
“You should take this chance to learn to relax, Commander.”
The other knights blindly trusted Klaus.
It was true that Klaus had recently performed numerous impressive feats for the benefit of the people.
But Laura couldn’t believe there was any deeper meaning to this order.
“What happens if enemies attack while we’re lounging around? The town guards alone can’t protect the town!”
With that thought, Laura repeatedly tried to train in secret, gripping her sword.
But each time, Klaus appeared at the worst possible moment, preventing her from doing so.
While everyone else praised the lord as a great man, Laura could only see malice in his actions toward them.
“What will become of this territory…?”
Looking up at the sky, Laura let out words of despair.
But one month later, she would come to understand the true intent behind Klaus’s orders.
She would realize that Klaus was not only a great lord but also an unparalleled strategist!
◇◆◇
One month had passed since Klaus ordered the “one-month mandatory vacation and complete ban on training and combat.”
During that time, Laura and the knights hadn’t trained or fought even once.
While they benefited from recovering from fatigue and injuries, many knights had grown fat from overeating and lack of exercise, losing their combat instincts.
How long would it take to restore them to their original condition?
“As expected, I can’t believe there was any meaning to Lord-sama’s orders…”
Laura clutched her head in despair.
Just then, a knight rushed to her, his face pale.
“Commander, we’re in trouble!”
“What’s wrong?”
Judging by his panic, perhaps a horde of monsters had appeared.
If so, they were in a bad spot. In their current state, it was unclear how well they could fight.
Laura’s unease grew, but what the knight said next surpassed even her worst fears.
“It’s… a man claiming to be a Demon King’s army executive has appeared in town!”
“What!?”
A Demon King’s army executive.
If that information was accurate, this enemy was undoubtedly stronger than the Aegis Bird or an awakened evolved Gigahorn Boar.
The situation was urgent.
Laura gripped her sword and stood, using a sound amplification spell to issue orders across the garrison.
“All knights, prepare immediately and head to town!”
Fortunately, yesterday was the last day of the vacation, so all knights were gathered at the garrison today.
Of course, a single knight order might not stand a chance against a Demon King’s army executive.
Even so, their duty was to wield their swords to protect the kingdom. There was no retreating here.
With resolve, Laura headed toward the enemy.
Upon arriving in town, Laura was surprised to find minimal damage so far.
Unfortunately, the report of an enemy was true.
A black-haired man with horns, floating high above and overlooking the town, sneered eerily at Laura and her knights.
Laura pointed her sword at him and shouted with authority.
“I am Laura Embres, commander of the Renford Knight Order! Who are you!?”
“Well, well, thank you for the polite introduction. Allow me to return the favor. My name is Flect, an executive of the Demon King’s army.”
(Tch! That sinister aura—he’s the real deal! And Flect, no less!?)
The name rang a bell. She’d heard he appeared across the Solstia Kingdom, killing powerful warriors one after another.
But beyond his name, his background was shrouded in mystery, and even his abilities were unknown, making him a formidable foe.
To think such an enemy would appear in the Renford territory.
Laura considered calling for Klaus, rumored to be a powerful mage, but she’d heard he was out of town today.
The knights would have to protect the town alone.
Biting her lip, Laura pressed for more information.
“Flect! Why have you come to this territory!?”
“Oh, I heard that an evil deity sealed in this territory was defeated. With my master’s revival approaching, it’s best to deal with such troublesome elements early, don’t you think?”
“You think you can defeat us alone?”
“Oh, absolutely. Shall we get started?”
Flect raised both hands toward Laura and the knights, signaling an attack.
“Attack incoming! All units, defensive positions!”
“““Yes, ma’am!”””
Seeing their response, Flect’s grin widened.
“Kufufu, how pathetic. To think you can block my magic with such measures.”
“What do you mean?”
“My magic isn’t ordinary. That kind of defense is utterly meaningless.”
Sinister black magical energy gathered in Flect’s hands.
“This magic has a single effect: it revives all the pain a target has experienced in the past month simultaneously. From wounds inflicted by monsters to mere muscle soreness, each pain may be trivial on its own, but the combined agony of a month’s worth is unbearable for most.”
“What…!?”
Laura’s eyes widened in shock.
Indeed, after intense training, muscle soreness could make it hard to even stand. Wounds from monsters were even worse.
The thought of enduring a month’s worth of such pain at once was horrifying.
The stronger the target, the greater the effect.
Now Laura understood how Flect had defeated so many powerful foes.
(Damn it, what do we do!?)
Retreating wasn’t an option with an enemy like this.
Flect unleashed the black magical energy over the entire knight order.
“Now, recall your pain—«Resurgent Pain»!”
As the magic washed over them, everyone braced for agony and shut their eyes.
But—
“Huh…? Nothing’s happening?”
“Was it a bluff!?”
“Ugh, my back pain…”
—For some reason, most of the knights felt nothing.
Not only Laura and her knights but Flect himself was bewildered by this outcome.
“What!? «Resurgent Pain» didn’t work!? Impossible! Are you telling me you haven’t experienced any pain in the past month!?”
Hearing Flect’s outburst, Laura finally understood.
(That’s it! We haven’t fought or trained for a month, living far removed from pain. That’s why his magic had no effect!)
A smile spread across Laura’s face with this realization.
Now, they had a real chance to defeat Flect.
The only issue was that they weren’t in peak condition…
Laura scrambled to devise a strategy.
But surprisingly, Flect quickly regained his composure.
“No matter. I’ll use my trump card. I never imagined I’d have to use this magic in a backwater like this.”
“You have another trick up your sleeve!?”
“Oh, yes. This is my true final card—a forbidden spell that doesn’t revive pain but drains life force to incapacitate enemies.”
With that, Flect unleashed pure white magical energy toward Laura and the knights.
“«Life Force Drain»!”
“—Tch!”
(It feels like my very energy is being sapped! I can resist somewhat with magic resistance, but the other knights will be taken down all at once—)
Laura scanned her surroundings in a panic.
But what she saw was the complete opposite of what she’d expected.
Far from collapsing, the knights were brimming with energy, in far better condition than before.
“Whoa! What’s this? My heavy body feels light all of a sudden!”
“I feel power surging from deep within!”
“Ugh, my back pain…”
Flect let out a cry of disbelief at the sight.
“Impossible! To block both «Resurgent Pain» and «Life Force Drain»!? Are you saying you prepared for this situation!?”
(That’s it!)
Laura realized a moment later.
Flect’s magic drained life force.
But what if the targets had an abundance of it?
The answer was simple: only the excess would be drained, leaving them in peak condition.
The knights, having overindulged without fighting for a month, had stored up energy in their bodies.
Flect’s magic had essentially given them a magical diet!
(Could it be… Lord-sama foresaw all of this from the start!?)
The string of coincidences was too perfect to be mere chance, sending a shiver through Laura’s body.
Klaus must have known a month ago that Flect would attack and even deduced his abilities.
His orders were designed from the beginning to nullify Flect’s «Resurgent Pain» and «Life Force Drain».
(What a man our lord is! And to think I complained that his orders were meaningless… I was the fool!)
With the situation in their favor, Laura pointed her sword at Flect and issued orders.
“All units, charge!”
“““Yes, ma’am!!”””
“Wait, please! I can’t be defeated in a place like this—”
The knights’ all-out assault made short work of capturing Flect.
His strength lay in his unique abilities, not his combat prowess, which turned out to be mediocre.
The knights rejoiced at capturing a Demon King’s army executive.
But everyone present knew this victory was entirely due to Klaus’s strategy.
“Now, everyone, don’t let your guard down until we report this victory to Lord-sama!”
“““Yes!”””
The knights nodded vigorously at Laura’s words.
Looking up at the sky, Laura thought of Klaus, who wasn’t present.
(You are undoubtedly a great lord and an unparalleled strategist… the one I should serve with my life!)
A few hours later, Laura reported the incident to Klaus upon his return to town.
For some reason, Klaus was shedding tears, but Laura was convinced it was because he was overjoyed that they had lived up to his expectations.
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